Visitors to the Westcountry who stumble across well-hung, grass fed Red Ruby Devon beef for the first time in their lives are amazed at the difference between this and what they buy from their local supermarket.

According to celebrity chef and food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Red Ruby beef is as good as it gets, but then he is a little biased as he has his own herd of Red Ruby Devons.

There is, however, good scientific evidence that grass-fed native bred beef is the best to eat.

In Australia, tasting panels are usually asked to rate the beef in terms of flavour and tenderness providing a score for "eatability". Research with large numbers of animals in that country consistently put pure Red Ruby Devons and Devon Shorthorn crosses at the top of the eatability table.

Similar research carried out in this country on a smaller scale shows in more detail why native beef breeds produce the best beef.

Red Ruby Devons and other native beef breeds are hardy animals which thrive outdoors in all weather conditions.

They do this by laying down fat both under the skin and in the muscle. They are also able to thrive on grass, growing slowly but laying down fine-grained muscle. Their continental counterparts and dairy cross cattle tend to grow faster producing leaner, larger grained meat, but they can only do this by being fed a more intense, higher protein diet.

Studies in Bristol and in Ireland have shown that grass-fed beef is both tastier and better for consumers than beef reared on high protein diets. This is because grass-fed beef contains a higher proportion of desirable polyunsaturated acid than intensively reared beef. So scientists are backing up what connoisseurs have known all along; pure native beef breeds are the best.

Of course the breed of the animal and what they eat are not the only factors which affect the quality of beef. Good killing, hanging and butchering are also vitally important.

Returning to Australian studies, it has been found that pre-slaughter stress causes an increase in muscle acidity which leads to tougher meat. Another reason why placid, native beef breeds produce more tender meat than their stressier continental cousins.

It has long been known that hanging also increases the tenderness of meat and most experts agree that three weeks hanging is ideal for beef. Thanks mostly to Jamie Oliver, supermarkets are beginning to learn what good butchers have known all along.

Anyone who has not yet discovered Red Ruby Devon beef and would like to try it, should ask a local butcher or pub if they can get some or contact the Devon Cattle Breeders Society, on 01837 810942, for a list of suppliers.